Apparatus for developing films.



V. C. DE YBARRONDO.

APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING FILMS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6. I9I4. 1,143,892. Patented June 22, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

ff@ if if V. C. DE YBARRONDO.

APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING FILMS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6.1914.

Patented J luie 22, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

v. C. DE YBARRGNDO.

APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING FILMS.

APPLICATION FILED APR- 6' 1914.

Patented June 22,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

.Y v 1y aeydrmyw f UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

' VINCENT C. DE YBARRONDO, OFLOS'ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS ron DEVELOPING FILMS.

Specification of Letters Patent. i Paijented June 22, 1915.

' Application led April 6,1914. Serial No. 830,082.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VINCENT C. DE Yanne noNDo, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in thev countyof Los Angeles and State of- California, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Developing Films, of which the following is a specificaltion. p 4

The invention relates to the development of moving picture films. These films which consist of thin strips of celluloid after being expofed must be washed and treated v with certain chemicals to bring out and fix the image formed -by the exposure. The usual method of doing this is to wind the films, which may be' 10D or 200 ft. long, upon ail-open frame, immersing these frames in various solutions.` This is objectionable in that the'ilmwhich comes from the camera wound a tight roll upon a reel must be unwound upon the frame, and it is further objectionable in that the frames are cumbersome to handleand it is diflicult kto get an even development thereon. As the pictures themselves are very. small and are enormouslymagnified when4 thrown upon the screen, small particles' of dust which may adhere-thereto produce 'a blurred and 1nd1stinct-vlm and. it is necessary to carefully protect the film from dust particles during development vand washing.

The principal object of the invention is to provide means wherebyV the filmsl may be directly unrolled from the reel as it comes from the camera and developed -in a perfectly Hat, straight, condition, all the prooyesses of development, washing, fixing, and

drying being performed without additional handling .of the e A further object: is to provide means whereby the film will "De entirely protected from dust particlesduring such development. and xing.

A further object is to provide means whereby a large number of 'films may be quickly and perfectly developed by a single operator in afveryleconoinical manner.'

f Inthe drawings, which are largely diagrammatic, and -which are for illustrative purposes only, Figure 1 lis an lelevatlon partly in section of apparatus adaptedto carry on the process. Fig. 2 is a perspectlve view of a portion of this apparatus, the various parts being broken away to better Illustrate the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a partial section on the line :eL-w3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a preferred form of weight. Fig. 5 is an elevation, partly in section, of a portion offan inclined assembling of the invention. Fig. 6 is a section on the line ale-4x6 of Fig. 5. Fig. .7 is a Isection on in pairs in vertical treating pipes .which are long enough to take from 100 ft. to 200 ft. of film. The upper ends of these pipes extend into a daf'k room, and the films are lowered therein being kept straight by suitable weights which are restrained from turn- Ing. While inthese pipes all the various processes of washing, developing, fixing, and drying are carried on, the film when withdrawn therefrom being completely developed, fixed, washed anddried.

In the drawings, the treating pipes 1, 2 and 3 extend downwardly throughthe floor 4 of a dark room. A table .5 is provided upon which may be placed film. boxes 6, 7 and 8, each of these boxes being large enough to contain two reels of films 9 and 10. One side of the film is coated -with a photographic emulsion, and the films are so wound upon the reels 9 and l0 tb at the emulsion is on the outer side. The film is passed outwardly through slots 11 formed by rollers 12 in the side of the film boxes 6, 7 and y8 and passes to heads 13 which are secured by means of set screws 14 on the top of the pipes 1, 2 and 3, rollers 15 being provided in the top of this head and the film passing between'these rollers. As illustrated in Fig. 1, two films may be extended downwardly in each of the pipes 1, 2 and 3, and the arrangement is such that the emulsion sides are outward, that is to say, the films arel back to back in the pipes l, 2 and 3. A weight 16 is secured to the bottom of each of these pairs of films, this weight consisting of two members 17 and 18 hinged together at 19. A series of projections 20 in the member 18 register with grooves 21 on the member 17, these projections 20 being suitably placed to pass through the-series of small holes which are perforated in each edge of the film. A catch 22 is provided for locking the members 17 and 18 together and a pair of projecting ribs the film may be wound or unwound on the.

l3 and are provided for the purpose of preventing the films twisting. Any other convenient openings are provided `through the weights 16 to allow thev circulation of liquid therethrough. v

Means for keeping the weight from turning, such-as irregular shapedzpipe, may be reels 9 and 10, thus raising and lowering them in the pipes 1, 2 and 3.

The method of operation of the invention is as follows: The films being threaded bei tween the rollers 12 in the side of the box 6 are threadedbetween the rollers 15 in the cap 13, and the` weight 16 is secured :by clamping the members 17- and 18 together by means of the catch 22.. The cap 13 is then placed upon the pipe 1 and secured by the set screw 14. The handle 29 is then turned lowering the films inv the pipe 1, the

weight 16 tending to keep them straight and,-

fiat. The films are nowallowed to remain in the pipe during the entire developing, fixing, washing, and drying processes which will now be described. v n

A water pipe 30 connects through a valve 31 with a source vof clean water supply, this water pipe 30 being in open communication with a water head 32 which extends across the dark' room aiid which communicates through valves 33 with pipes 34'which are in open communication through the crosses 35 of the pipes 1, 2 and 3. A developer tank 36 communicates through a valve137 with a developer head 38 which communicates through valves 39 with the pipes 34 which.

are 1n ppen communication, as previously explained, wlth the pipes 1, 2 and'3. yThe fixing solution is carried in a tank 40 which communicates through a valve41 with a fixing n head 42 which communicates, through valves 43 with the pipe 34 which communicates with the pipes 1, 2 and 3. hot air head 44 is provided communieating through valves 45 with the cross 35, this hot aii' head 44 beirig supplied through a pipe 46 from a blower 47 driven from a motor shown in dotted lilies, the hot air being derived through a pipe 48 from the heater 49 which consists of a heating coil 50 connected to a burner 51 supplied with gas or other fuel throughthe pipe 52. A filtering device 53 removes all dust particles from the air entering the 'heater-49. The lower ends of the pipes 1, 2 and 3 are secured in crosses 54. The lower end of these crosses are connected with a sewer pipe 5.5"throu'gh pipes 56 and through quick acting valves 57 which. are operated through rods 58 by meansof handles 59 which pass through the dark room Hoor 4. The crosses 54 also con;

nect through a series of 'valves 60, similarly `operated through rods 62,'by a hand whe-e161 above the ioor 4, witha pipe 63 which communicates through a check valve 64' with a developer pump 65, this pump being driven byl an electric motor 66 and being in open communication with a pipe 67 which extends The method of treating the film will be described in connection with the treating pipe 1, the method of handling in lpipes 2 and 3 being exactly similar. When the film s first lowered into the pipe 1, it is desirable to first wash it in clean'water to remove any dust which may adhere thereto. this purpose .the valve 57 is opened by means of?V the handle 59 anda supply of clean water is admitted to the pipe 1 through the valve 33 from the water head 32, the valves 39, 43 and 45 being closed while this is taking place. This water passes downwardly over` the films in the pipe 1, thoroughly washing same, andpasses offthrou h the sewer pipe 55, the valves 60 and 68 bemg closed during For this operation. The developer pump 65 is then started and the valve 60` is slightly opened by means of the handle 61. The valve 33 is closed and the valve l37 is opened, thus admitting developer to the developer head 38. The valve-39 is then fully .opened allowing the pipe 1 to quickly fill' with developer. This developer is slowly removed from the bottom of the pipe 1 and returned -to the tank'36 through the pipe 67, this slow circulation of the developer Yserving to maintain it at an equal strength throughout the pipe 1 and therebyeveiily developing the films. After a lsuflicient length of time .has elapsed to thoroughly develop the films, the valvel 39 is closed and the valve 60 is fully opened thereby allowing the pumpl 65v to fully drain the pipe 1 Qf developer which is returned to the tank. The valve 60 isthen l closed, thevalve 57 is'opened, anda supply of water is admitted through the valve 33 for the purpose -of thoroughly washing out b' any developer which may adhere to the films or to the interior of the pipe 1, and its c'on'l necting pipes. This water is'drained b the sewer pipe 55 as before. vlThe valve 5 is then closed and" the fixing pump 71 is started, the valve 68 being slightly opened by means of the handle 69. The fixing solution is then admitted to the fixing head 42 by opening the valve 41 and this solution is admitted to the' pipe 1 through the valve 43. This fixing solution is allowed to fill the pipe 1 and is slowly circulated through .the valves 57 and 33 are openedthereby thoroughly washing the film, the waste water being carried away by the sewer pipe 4 55.. After the film is fully washed the valve 33 is closed, the valve 57 being still left fully open. burner 51 being lighted under the coil 50 in the heater 49. The valve is then opened and the blower 47 forces filtered air from the filter 53 through the coils 50, where it is heated, and through the pipe 46 into the interior of the pipe 1. This heated filtered air flows downwardly through the pipe 1 and away through the sewer pipe 55, thoroughly drying the films in the pipe 1 during this passage therethrough. When the films are thoroughly dried the valve 45 is closed and the films are wound on the reels 9 and 10 by means of the handle 29, the cap 13 held straight and fiat, supported only at itsA taken from ,the end of the films.

It is evident that the arrangement of pipe is such thatthe above operations may be carried forward simultaneously in any or all v of the pipes 1, 2 and 3, the operator washing a film in the pipe 1 and carrying out any of the other processes in any of the otherl pipes-at the same time, if he desires. It is also evidentvthat a single film may-be developed, if desired, in place of the two films shown, or that additional or different solutions than those described may be used. vIt

is also evident that inasmuch as the film is extreme end, and as further all the opera-- tions are carried forward in a closed pipe, without handling the liability ofV damaging the film is very small and the films may. be developed quickly, safely andv perfectly by the above described apparatus.

In some locations it is more or less difiicult to find a location in which the pipes may be held strictly vertical, and in such locations it is practical to incline the pipe slightly by using the form of construction shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8. In these figures, 75 is one of a series of pipes corresponding to the pipes 1, 2, and 3, in the previous figures, the. upper end of this pipe extending into a dark room 76 and the lower end connect- The blower 47 is then started, the

ing with a sewer pipe 77, the pipe'being snpported intermediate of its length 'upon supports 78. AThe pipe 75 is provided with valves and pipe connections exactly similar to those already described in the case of theA previous figures and the method of treating the film in the pipe is exactly the same as I' that already explained. It is necessary, however, to provide means for supporting the film to prevent it rubbing against the side of the pipe, and for this purpose a lon 4itudinal molding 79 is secured by means'o molts 80 in the center of the pipe, this molding having grooves 81 and 82 in opposite sides thereof of sufiicient width to exactly take a film 83.- A lead weight 84, which is provided with a thumb nut 85, is secured to the lower end of the film and tends to pull it downwardly in the grooves 81 and 82. Thefilm is so place in these grooves that the emulsion side is outward, and the method of treating is thatl which has already been described.

I claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus for developing films comprising a pipe having an elevated end, means for passing a film into said lelevated end, .a

` Weight fastened to the end of said film suffrom turning as it travels through saidpipe.

2. An apparatus for developing lms comprising a pipe, means for passing various fluids through said pipe, a weight adapted to be fastened -to the end of the film, and means for preventing the weight.` from Bturning asl it passes through the pipe.

3. An apparatus for treating films comprising a pipe, means for passing treating fiuids through said pipe, a weight adapted tobe secured to the end of the film, andprojections on said weight sliding in grooves insaid pipe. f

4. An apparatus for treating films comprising a cy indrical pipe, means for passing a,.fi1m into the top -of said pipe, a weight secured to the bottom of said nlm, means on said weight coperating with said pipe to prevent the weight from twisting the film as it passes downwardly through said pipe, and means for passing treating fluids over said film as it passes into said pipe.,

In testimony whereof,I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this FRED A. MANsFmLD, Fonn W. HARRIS. 

